Community safety initiatives in South Lambeth

Initiative and activities in Gipsy Hill, Knight's Hill, St Leonard's, Streatham Hill, Streatham South, Streatham Wells and Thurlow Park wards.

Engaging the Polish community

This project involved working with various partners to improve engagement work with the ever increasing Polish community in Streatham.

The Police are introducing Polish surgeries so that relationships can be built between the police and the Polish community. To communicate more effectively, a media strategy has been drawn up to promote on-going and future activities through media outlets including Polish newspapers and websites along with the more traditional Lambeth Council media.

The production of information leaflets are also planned so that all new communities can receive literature on the laws in England and receive tips on how to settle within the country

Street drinking in Streatham

Streatham Green and St. Leonards church both experiencing problems with street drinkers and the related anti-social behaviour.

In December 2006, all on and off licence premises were written to by Trading Standards and the Inspector for the Safer Neighbourhood Teams. These letters expressed the legal obligations for selling alcohol but also offered support for those who experience pressure from street drinkers to sell them alcohol. Test purchases were also carried out to identify anyone breaking laws with underage selling.

Recycling facilities were added in Streatham Green to encourage the street drinkers to be tidy. Outreach workers were also tasked to engage and ascertain what problems were being experienced by the street drinkers. 

For the street drinkers in the church, work has taken place to close the church grounds and also to refer the street drinkers to an outreach service which operates next to the church.